Kibbutz Kalia on the Dead Sea*

Kibbutz Kalia

When was Kibbutz Kalia founded?

Kalia is an Israeli settlement established in 1929 on the Lido Beach on the northern shore of the Dead Sea, 360 meters below sea level. The kibbutz was first built during the British Mandate era to accommodate employees of the Palestine Potash Company. Well, you cannot mention Palestine Potash without praising the founder, Moshe Novomeysky, a Jewish engineer from Siberia, who brought this industry to the Dead Sea. Kalya is also a Hebrew acronym for “קם לתחייה ים המוות” (Kam Litkhiya Yam HaMavet), literally, the Dead Sea has returned to life.

Kibbutz Kalia during the War of Independence

At the outbreak of the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, the kibbutz negotiated with the Jordanian Arab Legion to preserve the kibbutz under Jordanian control. However, in light of the imprisonment of Jews in the Jordanian-held Naharayim and the terrible Kfar Etzion massacre, David Ben-Gurion called for the residents’ evacuation and their tranfer to the southern Dead Sea. The residents fled by boat on 20 May 1948, and the kibbutz was destroyed by the Jordanians.

Kibbutz Kalia after the Six Day War

After the Six Day War the kibbutz was resettled on a temporary site on Lido Beach in 1968, first as a paramilitary camp and later as a civilian kibbutz. In 1975 the kibbutz migrated to a permanent site more to the west at the base of the Mountain Ridge in the foothills of the Judean desert. Kibbutz Kalia is near the Qumran caves – an important historic site and great for a hike with the kids. Today, Kibbutz Kalia is the largest settlement in North Basin of the Dead Sea.

The Kibbutz Kalia Guest House

Kalia Beach Dead Sea Israel

This is the northern most beach on the western side of the Dead Sea, just 25 minutes drive from Jerusalem. The name derives from kalium (potassium), the Latin name for potassium, found here in abundance. Go for a free therapeutic mud bath – the ultimate spa experience. No fresh water pools here – although there are in the guest house.

This aerial video of the Dead See is breath-taking.

Dead Sea- Ori Aloni from Ori Aloni. Ori Aloni, a graduate of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, is an aerial photographer at Take-Air.